pfanne



(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 1.

G.PPANNE.

HYDRAULIC COMPRESSOR.

No. 295,800. Patented Mar. 25, 1884.

i M W N. PETER$ Phalo-Lilhngnphlr. Wuhin ton. D46.

(No Model.) I I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

o. PFANNE. HYDRAULIU AIR COMPRESSOR Patented Mar. 2 5, 1884'.

4 Sheets -Sheet a.

(No Model.)

JPPANNB HYDRAULIC AIR COMPRESSOR.

Patented Mar. 25

N. PETERS. mwmho n m Walhlnginn. n, a

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sh eet 4.

'0. PFANNE.

HYDRAULIC AIR COMPRESSOR.

No.295,-800. Patented Mar. 25, 1884.

N- FEYERS. HMO-whammy Wuhlnm D. (I.

UNITED STAT S PATENT Orricno CHARLES PFANNE, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

HYDRAULIC AIR-COMPRESSSOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,800, dated March 25, 1884.

Application filed December 27, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it 12mg concern: Be it known. that I, CHARLES PFANNE, a citizen of the United States, residing; at ashington, in.the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Air-Oo1npressors,'of which the following is a specification. I have made certain improvements in the hydraulic air-compressor adapted for use in maintaining an air-pressure in kegs or barrels from which a liquid is being drawn, and for other work requiring an air-pressure, and my improvements relate. to that kind of air-compressor in which two movable vessels are combined with a suitable valve, and means for connecting the latter with the said vessels, so

a that water flowing into one vessel while discharging from the other will cause them to rise and fall alternately with a rocking movement, and thus causedto force air under pressurefrom the vessel into which it is flowing,

the said valve being operated by the movements of said vessels to change the inflow and outflow of the water alternately therefrom, while the air is alternately forced from each vessel by the water flowing therein.

In air-compressors employed as beerpumps, and which are operated by water-pressure, the

water-receiving vessels have been rigidly con-- nected together, so as to form a rocking airpumpthat is to say, the vessels are connected so that they must have a rocking or tilting movement togetherand that the pivots of such rocking or tilting vessels are arranged so as to have a fixed relation to the framethat is, the hearing or bearings of the vessels are mounted in a non-moving part of the frame.

In my invention the vessels are mounted by knife-edge bearings upon a balance-beam, and have a free support at their upper ends, so as to allow them to rise and fall parallel to each other withthe movementof the balance-beam an arrangement which insures an easy and prompt movement. While the vessels are mounted upon knife-edge bearings,their supporting-balance beam is also mounted upon similar bearings, and this, in connection with a freely-turnin g bearing-wheel placed between central top guides rising from each vessel, practically supports the vessels without top connections, so thattheir movements must be rolling bearing and upon bottom rising and falling knife-edge bearings. Each water-receiving vessel is connected at the bottom with a four-way cock of cylindrical form bya flexible tube, and at the top with a chamber, into which the air is stored under pressure and supplied where such pressure is to be exerted. Each watelnreceiving vessel is provided at its top with an air-discharge pipe, within which is arranged a rubber sack-valve, through which the air is forced to the receiver as the water rises in said vessel, and which closes by collapsing when the water is discharging from said vessel. Said sack-valve, being arranged in a divided air-discharging pipe, forms a perfectly acting light valve, allowing the outflow of the air and preventingits backflow, not liable to stick or get out of order, is much more efficient than the ordinary metal check valve heretofore used for the purpose. The air is drawn into the water-receiving vessels through the body of the water therein, and is therefore purified,which is an important matter when the air is to be used as a pressure within a barrel from which theliquid is drawn for drinking. The cylindrical four-way cock is fitted within a case, within which it is held so as to form a tight joint only at oneend of said case, by a spring arranged to bearupon the outer end of said cock, and the latter is operated by a gear on its outer end, into which a sector of the arm of the balanceframe acts, so that the cock is turned easily within its case, having only a shoulder-bearing at that side of the case through which it projects.

In the foregoing particulars provision is made not only for perfectlyfree' movements of the water-receiving vessels, but for a perfectly free motion offthe four-way cock for controlling the flow of the water into one vessel and its discharge from the other at the same time. a l

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 represents in front elevation an aircompressor embracing my invention; Fig. 2,

a rear elevation, Fig. 3, aside view, and Fig."

4 a top view, of same; Fig. 5, a vertical. section of one of the water-chambers, showing the air-inlet, the, air-discharge connecting with the storage-receiver, and the sealing safety device which prevents the flow of water to the air-receiver; Fig. 6, the balance-frame,which supports the water-receiving chambers, showing the knife-edge bearings for said frame; Fig. 7, a top view, showing the air-discharge pipes as guides for the water-receiving chambers and the guide-wheel therefor; Fig. 8, a vertical section, showing the cylindrical cock for controlling the flow of the water into and from the chambers, taken on the line x m of Fig. 9, which is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line y y of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 shows the rubber sack self-acting valve, which controls the inlet and outlet of the air into and fromthewater-receivingvessels. Fig. 11 shows the flat metal tube to which the rubber sackvalve is fastened, and Fig. 12 shows a side view of the four-way cock.

The water-receiving chambers A B are supported upon a suitable balance-frame, O, the bearings for which are formed by a shaft, D, having knife-edged endsaa, resting upon steel steps suitably secured in cross-bars Z) I) of the main upright frame, within the top of which the center pipes, E, of the water-receiving chambers are supported upon a rolling bearing. The water-receiving chambers are each supported by a shaft, F, having knife-edge bearings c a, resting upon suitable steel steps in the balance-frame. The steel steps on which the knife-edge bearings rest are V-shaped, so as hold the balance-frame and the water-receiving chambers in their proper positions in relation to each other. These knife-edge bearings are formed upon shafts which pass through holes in projections from said chambers, but may be secured to the bottom of each water-chamber by any suitable means. The vertical movements of the water-receiving chambers are guided by the center airdischarge pipes, E, resting constantly upon the opposite sides of a grooved wheel, G, mount ed in a hanger from the top cross-bars of the I frame, so that the friction of both guides in their movements are equalized,and, in connection with the edge-bearings, give a very light working to the water-chambers, which are mounted so that they lean slightly toward each other, with their guide-pipes resting against the intermediate grooved wheel. The groove in the wheel Gfits the pipes and serves the important advantage of keeping the knife edge bearings in their proper positions in the direction of the length of said bearing-edges. This construction holds the water-receiving chambers against any displacement inany direction,while allowing the advantage of using water-chambers without top or bottom rigid 'or stiff connections, so that each water-ehanr ber moves perfectly freeof the other.

Each water-receiving chamber connects at its bottom by a flexible pipe, II, with a fourway cock, I, fitted in a case, J, which is secured to a bracket or hanger, b, of the crossbar 1), upon which the balance-frame is mounted. The case J is secured by a bearing-sleeve,

K, to the frame-bracket b and nut L, binding said case to said bracket. The four-way cock I is cylindrical and is divided lengthwise by a diameterpartition, (1, into two chambers, c 0, each of which has two ports placed at right angles to each other on each side of the partition (Z. It fits into the case and passes through the hollow bearingsleeve at one side of the case, and its projecting end is provided with a spur-pinion, M, into which meshes the teeth of a sector, N, carried by a vertical arm, 0, depending from the balanceframe 0, and preferably connected with the bearing-shaft D thereof, in the middle of its length, sothat the vibrating movements of the balance-frame and arm 0 will turn the cock 'I one-quarter of a revolution. The case J has four ports placed diametrically opposite each other. The upper port, 9, is connected with the water-supply pipe h, and the lower port, 2, with the waste-pipe Z, while each side port, j, connects, respectively, with the bottom of the water-chambers by the flexible pipes H. The cock I is heldwithin the inclosing-case J by means of a spring, 1 attached to the case-hanger b, and adaptedto bear against the outer end of the valve-stem I, so as to constantly press a shoulder, is, formed upon the stem of the cock against the end of the sleeve K of the case, and thus maintain a tight joint of the cock at the point where its stem passes through the bearing-sleeve of the case.

The provision for producing the air-pressure is as, follows: An inlet air-valve, Z, Figs. 5 and 10, is placed within atube upon the top of the water-receivin g chamber, and communicates with the interior of said chamber by a pipe, m, extending from the top to the bottom of said chamber, so that the air entering said chamber is compelled to pass through the body of the water therein before it reaches the space above the water, and thereby purifies the air. The air-inlet valve which I employ is a flat rubber sack, Z, fitted over a short flat metal tube, at. having a circular collar or flange, n, by which it is secured at the top of a tube, P, rising from the top of each water-chamber, so that the rubber sack Zhan gs within said risingtop tube 1?, and opens at its upper end, at the air-inlet r, at the top of the rising tube, so that the air can pass freely from the outside into the inside of the rubber sack. A slit, Z, is made in one of the broad sides of the sack, as shown in Figs. 5 and 10, to allow the air to pass freely out into the tube as it enters from the outside while the water is passing out of the chamber. In the operation of filling the chamber with water, the rubber sack Z will collapse, and thus automatically close the slit Z and seal the valve. I employ the same kind of valve to control the outlet of the air into a receiver where the compressed air is stored, and I will now describe the means by which this is effected.

The pipe E of each water-chamber dis" a partition, 8, so as to form anupper and a lower chamber, 8 8 which communicate with each other through arubber sack-valve, Z,

which is placed in the upper chamber, 8", and

held in position uponthe partition 8 by means of a fiat metal tube, a, over which the open end of the rubber sack-valve is secured. Th'e' tube, t, open at both ends, inserted into the air-discharge pipe E through its upper open end. A pipe, Q, open at both ends, is inserted into the open top of the discharge-pipe, communicates with its upper chamber, s", and is bound by a bottom flange, a, upon the open top of the tube t by a' nut, B,

screwed into the open end of the air-discharge outside air.

pipe, there being a rubber-ring packing at each end of the open tube t, whereby the up-' per chamber, 8 is perfectly sealed from the The communication between the lower chamber of the air-discharge pipe and the rubber sack-valve is made by a central hole or. channel 1; in the fiat tube a, and a corresponding hole or channel in the partition 8, and the rubber valve stands up from the fiat tube a and communicates with the upper chamber, 8", by the side slit, Z, which opens to permit the outward flow of the air into the chamber 8 and closes by the collapsing of thesack'valve bythe back-pressure of the air in said chamber.

To guard against any accidental stopping of the working of the water -chambers, which might thereby cause the outflow of the water through said valve, I provide a float-valve consisting of a hollow ball, S, or other float having a central hollow valvestem, T, which rises in the lower chamber, a, of the pipeE, and passes through guides w, whereby it is held in posi-. tion so as to be free to rise and fall. Its upper end is provided with a rubber cap, 00, in

position to seal the hole or channel 1; in the partition. The float-valve is supported by a basket, U, depending within the water-chant. her from its top, so that, in the event of the waterrising in the chamber to a height sufiicient to raise the float, its valve-stem T will be forced up against the partition 8, and thus seal the communication between the two chambers of the air-discharge pipe, and prevent the outflow of the water into the air-discharge pipe. Flexible tubes V connect the air-discharge pipe of each water-receiving chamber with the air-receiver WV, which is supported upon the top of the main frame, and into which the air from the water-chamber is stored. The air-receiver is provided with one or more cocks, X, with which suitable flexible or other tubes may connect to conduct the air under compression in said receiver to the place where the air-pressure is to be eXerted-- as, for instance, into a beer or other barrel, or for use in organs, or for other purposes.

The regular movements of the water-chambers are effected by a counter-balance consistin g of a ball, Z, carried by a race or track, Z, secured to the balance-frame 0, upon which said ball travels from one end to the other, corre sponding with the alternate vertical movements of the water-chambers. Each end of the track is provided with an adjustable springstop, Z which may be so adjusted as to regulate the movements of the vessels, and thus cause them to fill more or less with water. If the springstops are set nearer to the center of the track, then the water will rise to a less height in the chambers than if the spring-stops were set a greater distance apart, and thus render the movements of the water-chambers uniform. The weight maintains the elevated chamber in position until the balance, by the flow of the water into the elevated chamber, is overcome. As soon as the elevated chamber is sufficiently filled with water to overcome the counterbalance, it will fall, turning the balance-frame and cause the counter-weight to move to the; other end thereof, at the same time vlbrating the arm O,and thereby turn the pinion M onefourth or a revolution, which turns the cock in its case so as to change the ilow of the water in an opposite direction into and from the water-chambers, thereby drawing the air into one chamber and forcing it out of the other into the air-receiver, from which it passes under pressure, as stated.

I may use a rolling guide-bearing on the outside of each air-discharging pipeE in connection with the intermdiate rolling guidebearing; and, in fact, any suitable bearings may be used to support and guidethe water receiving vessels in their vertical parallel movements.

The operation of the cock is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, which represent the position of the cock when the cylinders are in the positions shown in Fig. 2, wherein the arrow 2 shows the water entering from the supplypipe h, the arrows 3 the passage of the water through pipe H into the raised vessel, while the arrows 4 show the passage of the water ICC IIOl

from the vessel B out through the waste-pipe t" by the pipe H. Itis therefore obvious that when the vessel A fills sufficiently to overcome the counter-balance, it will descend and turn the pinion M, which turning the valve will reverse the inlet and outlet flow of the water. The downward movement of the balance-frame is stopped by the stops Z which limit the quarter turning of the cock.

I claim 1. The combination, ina hydraulic air-compressor, of thetwo water receiving and airpumping vessels, each supported independently upon a rising and falling bearing, asuitable rocking support for said vessels, means for maintainingand guiding said vessels in.

their movements in vertical parallel relation to each other, means for connecting said chambers with a water controlling device, and

means for supplying the air to and discharging it from said vessels, substantially as described.

'2. The combination, in a hydraulic air-conipressor, of two non-rocking water-receiving and air-pun1ping vessels, each supported independently upon a vertically-moving bearing, with a rocking balance-frame supporting and moving with said separate bearings, a weight adapted to travel upon said balanceframe, a suitable guide-bearing for the upper ends of said vessels, a cock and suitable means for connecting it with the said vessels, the said balance-frame, and the water-supply, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

3. In a hydraulic air-compressor, the combination of the non-rocking vessels A B, the rockingbalance-frame 0, weight Z, a. cock, I, the tubes H,and the arm 0, with the air-storage reservoir W, having one or more hose-receiving supply-cocks, X, and the flexibletubes V, connecting it with the said vessels, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

4. In a hydraulic air-compressor, the combination, with the vessels A B, of the cylindrical cock I, its case J, having a projecting joint-forming bearing-sleeve, K, a spring, 1 adapted to secure said cock within its case, and suitable means for operating said cock by the movements of said vessels, substantially as described.

5. In an air-compressor, the two non-rocking water-receiving and air-pumping vessels, each having a knife-edge bearing, 0, and a top guide, E, in combination with the rocking balance-frame 0, having knife-edge bearings a a, the weight Z, adapted to travel upon said frame, a suitable support for said guides, and means, substantially such as described, for controlling the supply and discharge of water into and from said vessels, and to control the sup ply and discharge of air into and from said vessels, substantially as described.

6. The combination, in a hydraulic air-compressor, of the two non-rocking vessels A and B with the cylindrical cock I, the case J having the joint-forming bearing-sleeve K, the spring I pinion M, carried by said cock, arm 0, having the cogged sector N, rocking balance-frame G, the traveling weight Z, suitable connections for supplying and discharging water to and from said vessels, and suitable means for supplying and discharging air to and from said vessels, as set forth.

7. In a hydraulic air-compressor, the nonrocking vessels A and B, each having a knifeedge bearing, combined with a suitable rocking support having knife-edge bearings, and suitable means for operating said vessels by water-pressure and for pumping and supplying air from said vessels, substantially as described.

8. In a hydraulic air-compressor, the nonrocking vessels A and B, each supported independently upon a rising and falling bearing,

. combined with a suitable rocking support, up-

on and by which the said cylinders are adapted to be operated in vertical parallel relation to each other, substantially as and for the purpose stated.

9. In a hydraulic air-compressor, the combination of the vessels A and B with the chambers P, having the inlet air-valves Z, and the chambers E, having the outlet-valves Z, with the tube m, extending from the bottom of each of said air-inlet chambers to near the bottom of each of said vessels, and means for controlling the supply and discharge of water into and from said vessels, vwhereby the air is caused to pass into and through the water before being discharged, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. PFANNE.

lVitnesses:

A. E. H. JoHNsoN, Y J. V. HAMILTON JoHNsoN. 

